Air intake apparatus



Feb. 11, 1969 H. JOHNSON AIR INTAKE APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1967 INVENTOR: EDWARD H. JUHNSUN.

BY fl ATTl E.

United States Patent 3,426,667 AIR INTAKE APPARATUS Edward H. Johnson, Maumee, Ohio, assignor to The American Warming & Ventilating, Inc., Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 623,937 US. Cl. 98-37 Int. Cl. F24f 7/00, 13/08 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a structure in the nature of a penthouse, louver, shutter, damper, etc. through which air passes more uniformly and with less turbulence.

An air flow structure according to the invention is employed when the air passing through the structure is changed to a direction transverse to a line perpendicular to a plane through the structure. The invention is particularly useful for penthouses in which air is drawn into the penthouse from opposite sides, usually from four sides, and is directed downwardly through a roof opening and into a building therebelow. In penthouses, a considerable amount of turbulence is normally experienced as the air is directed inwardly and upwardly into the penthouse where it meets and mixes with air coming from the opposite direction. This turbulence necessarily increases the pressure drop through the penthouse. In addition, with penthouses, there is a substantially increased tendency for more air to be drawn through the blades at the bottom lower portion than the upper portion. This results in increased velocity of the air at the bottom and causes more rain, snow, etc. to be drawn into the penthouse than would result with slower, more uniform air velocities over the entire intake surfaces of the penthouse.

According to the invention, each of the blades of the penthouse is provided with a vane which is at an angle to the main portion of the blade and directs the air downwardly through the penthouse. The air entering the penthouse does not oppose other air from the opposite direction but, rather, blends with the other air which is directed downwardly in the same direction. Also, the blades of the penthouse are spaced farther apart at the upper portion thereof than at a lower portion to achieve more uniform flow of air into the penthouse over the intake surfaces thereof. For a given volume, the maximum velocity of air flow through the penthouse blades is thereby decreased, along with foreign material such as rain entrained with the air.

It is therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide an air flow structure having the advantages outlined above.

Another object of the invention is to provide a penthouse in which less turbulence occurs and into which the air is drawn more uniformly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

3,426,667 Patented F eb. 11, 1969 FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a penthouse embodyin g the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical cross section through the penthouse shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a penthouse blade used with the penthouse of FIGS. 1 and 2.

A penthouse 10 in FIG. 1 includes corner frame members 12 and central frame members or mullions 14 with horizontal dividers 16, if necessary. A cover 18 is provided on the penthouse which is preferably mounted above a building roof 20 (FIG. 2) on a suitable base 22.

Each of the faces of the penthouse 10 is formed by an air intake structure or louver 24. Each of the louvers 24 includes a plurality of blades 26 which can be mounted on stiffening bars or rods 28 and 30 supported by the corner frame members 12. These can also be supported by the mullions 14, particularly for wider louvers. Each of the blades 26 includes a main portion 32 having an upwardly-extending ridge 34 which aids in preventing water or the like from travelling up the blade and to the interior of the penthouse 10. The ridge 34 also acts as a stiffener for the blade. Each of the blades also includes an air-directing vane 36 at the upper edge portion of the blade, with the vane 36 directed downwardly to aid in establishing a downward flow of air into the penthouse and downwardly through a roof opening 38. While the vanes 36 are all shown as being at right angles to the main portion 32 of the blades 26, it is also possible for the angles to vary somewhat, for example, being at acute angles to the main portions of the blades at the upper parts of the penthouse and at shallower, obtuse angles at the lower parts thereof. The vanes 36 are important in directing the air downwardly and preventing a substantial amount of turbulence in the upper portion of the penthouse as otherwise occurs when the air is directed inwardly and upwardly by the main portions 32 of the blades, causing the air to meet in the center with substantial mixing and turbulence.

Also in accordance with the invention, the blades 26 are spaced progressively farther apart in a direction away from the direction in which the air flows after passing through the blades 26. By way of example, the blades are spaced apart a vertical distance of three-and-one-half inches at the bot-tom of the penthouse and a maximum distance of four-and-one-sixteenth inches at the upper portion thereof, in the case of a penthouse which is approximately four feet high. The progressive spacing need not increase uniformly, of course, but can increase in steps, with several blades being the same distance apart and the next several blades being an increased distance apart, with the next group of blades above that still farther apart, etc. The spacing should progress, in any event, from the lower portion of the penthouse to the upper portion.

In all instances, however, the forward, lower edge of each blade is no higher than the upper portion of the blade immediately therebelow. This prevents the formation of a direct passage intolthe louver which would increase the chance for precipitation, etc. to enter the penthouse.

A suitable grid 40 can be located behind each set of louver blades to keep out birds, etc.

The unusual new construction, developed after a series of tests, makes possible the equalizing of throat intake volume by lowering the velocity at the base of the unit and permitting planned, uniform distribution of air over the entire surface. In addition pressure drop characteristics are considerably improved.

Various modifications of the above described embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that such modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, if they are within the spirit and the tenor of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. An air flow penthouse structure comprising frame means forming an opening, means forming a passage on one side of said opening and extending transversely to a line perpendicular to the plane of the opening, a plurality of blades extending across said opening and extending transversely to the passage, said blades having air directing means at angles to main portions of the blades for directing air generally in the direction of the passage, said blades being spaced farther apart at portions of the structure away from the direction in which air flows in said passage, said frame means and said blades forming a multi-sided penthouse.

2. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said blades are spaced farther apart at the upper portion of the penthouse than at the lower portion.

3. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said blades are spaced apart at progressively increasing intervals from the bottom of the penthouse to the top.

4. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said blades are spaced farther apart at progressively increasing, uniform intervals.

5. A structure according to claim 1 wherein each of said blades has an upwardly projecting ridge extending longitudinally thereof.

6. A structure according to claim 1 wherein a portion of each blade is no higher than a portion of the blade immediately therebelow.

7. An air intake structure comprising frame means forming an intake opening, means forming a passage on one side of said opening for receiving air from said opening, said passage extending substantially vertically downward-1y from said structure and positioned transversely to a line perpendicular to the plane of the opening, a multiplicity of blades extending across said opening and extending transversely to the passage in a manner to initially direct air generally upwardly as it flows into said structure between the blades, said blades having vanes to subsequently direct the air downwardly toward said passage, said blades being spaced increasingly farther apart at increasing intervals, toward the top of said opening from the bottom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,394,735 10/1921 Jordan 9842 XR 2,201,437 5/1940 Rice 49-74 XR 2,566,156 8/1951 Apolonio 98-121 XR 2,737,876 3/1956 Smith 98-121 XR 2,868,106 l/1959 Knutson et a1 98-43 3,216,161 11/1965 Forsman 9846 XR OTHER REFERENCES Extruded Aluminum Louvers, publication by Construction Specialties, Inc. of Newark, N1, copyright 1954, pp. 8 and 9 relied upon.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

